Latest Tweets

Social

New Study: Generation Z Votes Republican

A new study by political scientist Jeff Brauer finds that the generation after Millennials, Generation Z, is expected to lean Republican.

Sometimes referred to as the iGeneration, Gen Z’s were born between 1996 and 2010. They grew up amidst 9-11, global terrorism, school shootings, the 2008 Financial Crisis, and high unemployment numbers, with smartphones, technology, and social media already at their tiny fingertips re-wiring them into marketing machines. Having grown up in unstable society, Gen Z’s distrust government and consolidated power. They will also be the last majority-white generation in America.

“They are not as impressed with fame — celebrities, athletes, politicians — as are their predecessors, since fame in their lifetime has become rather easy to obtain with social media and reality TV,” says Brauer.

“Politically, Generation Z is liberal-moderate with social issues, like support for marriage equality and civil rights, and moderate-conservative with fiscal and security issues.”

“While many are not connected to the two major parties and lean independent, Gen Z’s inclinations generally fit moderate Republicans.”

Currently a political science professor at Keystone College in suburban Scranton, PA., Brauer analyzed research from Wright State University on 1,200 Generation Z students at 15 colleges and universities across the country, along with exit polling from CNN and census data to support his findings. He goes on to explain that from 2012 until 2016, Democratic candidates lost 5 percent of the youth vote nationally, with greater drops in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida and Wisconsin.

“It is much more likely the precipitous drops were due to the more conservative Generation Z being able, for the first time, to express their political inclinations, especially in the economically hard-hit swing states.”

“Generation Z voters were likely attracted to Trump because of his strong stances on national security and economic recovery — the main concerns of that generation,” said Brauer.

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].